At the Cobb County Commissioners meeting on Tuesday, June 26, 2018, fair board president Johnny Woodward and his fellow board members presented the county commissioners with a check for $300,000.  This money is for the following capital improvements at Jim R. Miller Park:

• $100,000 to replace the message board at the corner of Callaway Road and Al Bishop Drive.
• $100,000 to replace old fencing with black-coated chain link fencing around the perimeter and inside the park.
• $100,000 to add to the county’s $200,000 paving fund to extend paved areas on the fair grounds. With this $300,000 donation, the North Georgia State Fair has contributed over one million dollars for capital improvements to Jim R. Miller Park over the past 5 years.

They also strongly believe in supporting our community and are very proud of their community partners.

• The MUST Ministries food drive is always the last 3 days of the fair where free admission is given in exchange for a donation of 7 non-perishable food items.  In 2017, they collected over 47,000 pounds of food for MUST.
• They are also proud supporters of Calvary Children’s Home.  They were able to give this wonderful organization a $100,000 donation in 2017.

The 2018 North Georgia State Fair kicks off Thursday, September 20 and runs through Sunday, September 30, 2018.  For more information, please call 770-423-1330, visit NorthGeorgiaStateFair.com, or download their app, available in the App Store for Android or Apple products.

Learn all about the plethora of museums and cultural centers in Cobb County.

Airplanes, fire engines and romance novels… what do these things all have to do with each other? They’re all part of art exhibits or museum installations that you can visit right here in Cobb County. Whatever your interests or hobbies may be, there’s a museum or cultural center in your community that’s right for you. Let’s explore some Cobb County culture!

Zuckerman Museum of Art
Kennesaw

Bernard A. Zuckerman was an arts supporter in Atlanta and wanted to build a museum for Kennesaw State University’s permanent collection and galleries program, which began in 1984. Displaying work by local and national artists, the Zuckerman Museum of Art is a hub of inspiration and education. Featured inside the Wilson Building is the museum’s Fine Arts Satellite Gallery, which displays KSU student, faculty and alumni pieces. The museum also regularly hosts artist talks and panel discussions that are open to the public.

zuckerman.kennesaw.edu

Marietta/Cobb Museum of Art
Marietta

First a post office, then a library, and now a museum, the Marietta/Cobb Museum of Art resides in a historic Classical Revival building that has almost as much history within its walls as the paintings that hang on them. The museum of slogan, “building community through art,” is made clear in its dedication to social, cultural and educational opportunities like lectures, classes, camps and the beloved Chalktoberfest in Marietta Square in the fall.

mariettacobbartmuseum.org

Marietta History Center (formerly the Marietta Museum of History)
Marietta

Visitors from all over the world have walked among the artifacts in the Marietta History Center. Over 50,000 students have taken field trips to the museum since 2000. It’s not hard to see why the Marietta History Center has so much appeal when its exhibits include old-fashioned playgrounds and toys Baby Boomers would remember. Permanent exhibitions include a military gallery with battlefield relics and gun collections, homelife gallery where housewares from the 19th and 20th centuries are on display, and a general history gallery with eclectic collections of artifacts about the Cobb County area.

mariettahistory.org

Aviation History and Technology Center
Marietta

When the weather is nice, drive over to the 15.5-acre park (555 Perrin Road) where a collection of 10 military and 3 civilian aircraft sit among paved roads and grass lots. Many of the planes were produced in Marietta, beginning with Bell Aircraft in the mid-20th century and ending with aircraft manufactured by Lockheed Martin. Visitors can go inside the C141B Air Force transport and the Lockheed Jet star corporate jet that was owned by country singer Kenny Rogers. The museum is open to visitors Friday through Sunday.

ahtc360.org

Sewell Mill Library and Cultural Center
Marietta

The Sewell Mill Library and Cultural Center replaced the old East Marietta Library and is more than just a home for rental books. The facility includes recording studios, conference and study rooms, two theaters, a digital maker space, a community room and art classrooms and galleries. The facility also offers events for kids, and regularly scheduled art and writing classes as well as a classic movie showing each Thursday afternoon.

cobbcat.org

Gone With the Wind Museum
Marietta

Featuring an extensive collection of memorabilia related to the famous book and movie, visitors can enjoy the vast history surrounding one of the world’s most beloved stories. With the book having never left bookshelves since 1936 and the film holding the title of the number one box-office movie of all time (when adjusted for inflation), it’s clear that Gone with the Wind has a special place in many hearts.

gwtwmarietta.com

The Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History
Kennesaw

As if the “Great Locomotive Chase of 1862” doesn’t sound cool enough, the Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History actually has The General locomotive that was famous for its role in the chase on display. The museum also houses the Glover Machine Works, which was a belt-driven locomotive assembly line that was restored from the early 1900s. There also is an exhibit dedicated to the significant role railroads played during the Civil War. Regular events like the Mommy and Me Preschool Program and S.T.E.A.M. workshops take place in the Southern Museum’s Jolley Education Center.

southernmuseum.org

Marietta Fire Department Museum
Marietta

With artifacts dating back to the 19th century, the Marietta Fire Department Museum has everything you could want to see about firefighters… except for the Dalmatian. The highlight of the museum is a horse-drawn steam-powered pumper called a Silsby Steamer, and it is one of five left in existence. Explore firetrucks that saved lives and pushed the limits of technology like the 1921 American LaFrance pumper, the 1929 Seagrave Pumper, a 1949 Pirsch Ladder Truck and a 1952 Chevrolet Panel Truck.

Marietta.com/Marietta-Fire-Museum

William Root House Museum and Garden
Marietta

Built in the 1850s, the William Root house is the oldest existing home in downtown Marietta. It was sold in 1893 and moved down the street to make room for a library. Through structural analysis, the home’s architecture has been restored and redecorated to depict the average 1850s lifestyle, and even the gardens are potted with plants indigenous to the area in the 19th century.

roothousemuseum.com

The Youth Museum
Marietta

Learning doesn’t have to take place in just a classroom. Trained instructors at the Youth Museum lead elementary and middle school children through three, staged areas depicting a specific historical time. Typically, the process takes about two hours and includes an original puppet show related to the curriculum. Approximately 15,000 people visit the museum each year.

theyouthmuseum.org

The Depot 
Kennesaw

Built in 1908, the Depot was once a train station used by the Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis Railroad. After it fell into disrepair, the City of Kennesaw and the Kennesaw Historic Preservation Commission restored the Depot and it is now used as a Welcome Center. From the community’s name to its role in the Civil War, the exhibits shown in the Depot depict Kennesaw’s history and locomotive history in a way that is easily accessible and educational for all ages.

kennesaw-ga.gov/depot/